Uber now has the capacity to track riders even after they have completed their journey. Which should worry anyone who cares about their privacy and security. OK, so this may be helping Uber improve its service, but at what cost to the people actually using it?

Uber promises not to do that, telling TechCrunch it will collect location data for just five minutes after a driver has dropped a rider off at their destination. Unfortunately, Uber needs to gain permission to collect data at all times merely to collect it for those extra five minutes.

Uber Reassures Riders

Uber has tried to reassure riders worried about the change, issuing a statement saying:

“We’re always thinking about ways we can improve the rider experience from sharpening our ETA estimates to identifying the best pick up location on any given street. Location is at the heart of the Uber experience, and we’re asking riders to provide us with more information to achieve these goals.”

Uber has tried to safeguard its reputation by allowing riders to opt out of having their location data collected. The problem is it’s now an all-or-nothing scenario. If you opt in you’ll be sharing location data beyond the duration of your ride. And if you opt out you’ll have to manually enter an address when booking a pick-up.

Do you regularly use Uber? What do you think of the company changing the way it collects location data? Are you likely to accept the changes or opt out entirely? If you’re an Uber driver, how do you feel about this? Please let us know in the comments below!